Apparatus for attaching heels to shoes



Dec. 29, 1942. w MacDQNALD -r' 2,306,787

I v APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING HEELS TO SHOES Filed May 23, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 29, 1942. w, MacDQNALD ETAL 2,306,787

APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING HEELS TO SHOES Filed May 23, 1941 '4" Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 29, 1942. w MacDCNALD ETAL I 2,306,781

APPARATUS FOR 'ATTAGH-ING HEELS TO SHOES File d May 23, 1941 4 Sh'eetsSheet 3 y wi 1% Dec. 29, 1942.

K. W. M DONALD ETAL APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING HEELS To SHOES Filed May 23, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4n W MM 1 H fla /mg;

Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UNETED STATES TNT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING HEELS TO SHOES Application May 23, 1941, Serial No. 394,836

26 Claims.

This invention relates to attaching heels to shoes and more particularly to a method of and a machine for inserting permanent fasteners for the securement of heels to shoes.

in the manufacture of shoes it is customary to prepare the heel seat of the shoe, cement the heel in position, and then insert a temporary fastener to hold the parts together until the cement hardens. These operations are generally performed while the shoe is on the original last, and this delays delasting the shoes due to the length of time required for the cement to set. Further delay is occasioned by having to remove the temporary fastener and generally the method is slow and costly.

To avoid. the use of glue and temporaryfasteners and to speed the heel attaching operation, it has been proposed to insert a. permanent fastener into a shoe and heel while on the-original last, and the copending application of Kenneth W. Macdonald, Serial No. 365,320, filed November 12, 194.0, discloses a machine for inserting permanent fasteners, such as wood screws, for the purpose described.

A general object of this invention is to provide a suitable fastener inserting depth control for the machine disclosed in the above mentioned Macdonald application.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism which allows a fastener to be driven to a depth selected by operator according to type of shoe being heeled and to the density of the materials comprising the heel seat portion of the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control which will allow fasteners to be driven to a definite depth, when once selected, regardless of the size of shoe operated upon or the height of the last.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stop to limit the depth of the hole drilled to receive the fastener and to denote to the operator that the proper depth for the subsequentlydriven fastener has been gaged.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a single driving device for both drilling and fastener inserting spindles together with appropriate control therefor.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the apparatus embodying features of construction,

combination of elements and arrangement of no parts which are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Fig, l is a front elevation of a heel attaching machine embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation taken along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the gage lever and its resetting lever in greater detail;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, on an enlarged; scale, showing the respective positions of the gage lever, resetting lever, and stop switch when the clamp is raised to insert a shoe;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 4, but showing the respective positions of the gage lever, reset lever, and stop switch after the clamp has been lowered to clamp a shoe and heel and the drill has been reciprocated into relation with the shoe;

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram showing a suitable circuit for controlling the drill and driver motor; and

Fig, 7 is a partial front elevation in section, taken along the center line of the spindles, and showing the drill in working relation with a shoe and heel, and the relational height of the driver in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a machine similar in most respects to the machine described in the previously mentioned Macdonald application, comprising upstanding side frames 20 and 2| fastened to a suitable base 22 and to a horizontal upper frame casting 23.

Supported by the side frames is a cross member 26 which carries housings 25 and 26 in which. are respectively mounted a drilling spindle 21 and a screw driving spindle 28 (Fig. 7). Pulleys 29 and so are secured to the lower end of the spindles and are belted to the pulley 3| of a driving motor 32 in a manner which allows the motor to rotate both spindles.

Suitable connections to the spindles from a rocker shaft 33 journalled in the side frames allows the spindles to be selectively reciprocated towards a work support or shoe and heel clamp generally designated 34. The work support is pivotally mounted in the upper frame 23 and is swingable for alignment with the drilling and screw driving stations.

Mounted on the base 22 ther is a suitable clamp opening device comprising a worm gear reduction unit 35 having a driving motor 35, the worm shaft having extensions mounting eccentrics 31 and 38 which are surrounded by eccentric straps 39 and 49. Cast integral with the straps are lugs to which lifting arms 4| and 52 are bolted, the upper ends of the bars being pivoted to a slidable cross head 63 which abuts the clamp rod to lift same against the bias of the clamping spring when the motor 36 is started by means of the foot treadle switch 44.

Upon depression of the foot treadle switch 44, the motor 36 is energized and through the worm reduction 35 the eccentrics turn and the lifting bars move the cross head in its slide, lifting the clamp to its uppermost position, which is twice the throw of the eccentrics, and upon reaching this position, a cam 45 actuates a motor stopping switch 46 to shut off the current. The clamp stays in this upper position all the time the foot pedal is depressed while the work is inserted into the clamp, and upon release of the treadle, the motor is again energized, which allows the clamp to lower, thus clamping the work. The cross head continues to lower until the eccentrics reach their lowest position, where again the cam 65 shuts off the current.

When attaching heels to shoes with a fastenerof the wood screw type, it is imperative that a lead hole be drilled through the heel seat materials and into the heel the correct depth, because a wood screw driven into a hole of insufficient depth will split the heel, and if the hole is drilled too deep, it will penetrate through the back of the heel and cause an unsightly scar. It is also important that the screw be driven to the correct depth, as a screw head slightly protruding above the insole of a shoe would injure the wearers foot, and if driven too deep, a large depression is left in the insole which is also uncomfortable to the wearer. The thickness and density of the heel seat materials also require that the screw be driven to a definite depth sufiicient to compress the materials and insure a. tight connection of the heel to the shoe.

Some manufacturers desire to have the head of the screw exactly flush with the insole, while others desire the screw head to be slightly below the surface of the insole, and the screw depth gage and control hereinafter described provides for drilling the hole to the correct depth and for driving the screw to any definite depth selected.

Referring first to Fig. 7, there is shown a heel A clamped to a shoe B on the last C having a drill and screw receiving bore therein, th drilling spindle 2'! being reciprocated from the normal position shown in dotted line into drilling engagement with the shoe and heel by means of the handle 50 (Fig. 1) which, when manipulated, rotates a rock shaft 33 suitably linked to the spindle. At the lower or normal position of the drill spindle, a button which is attached to the spindle engages a normally closed motor starting switch 52, thus keeping the switch contacts open, and as the spindle is reciprocated towards the work, the button 5| travels with the spindle, thus allowing the switch to make contact and start the motor 32, which rotates both spindles.

Upon further reciprocation of the drill spindle, a hole is drilled through the heel seat materials of the shoe and into the heel until the shoulder 53 of the drill spindle reaches the heel face of the last and is limited from further reciprocation as it abuts the insole D of the shoe. When the shoulder 53 of the drill spindle 2'! contacts the insole, the resistance to further reciprocation is distinctly felt by the operator manipulating the handle 56, and the correct drilling depth is assured.

As the heights of lasts vary according to size and also according to the wear to which they have been subjected through constant use, it is necessary'to gage the distance travelled by the drill spindle to its limit as determined by the location of the insole, and this is accomplished and transferred to control the extent of the screw driving operation by positioning a motor stop switch on the cross member 24 near the rock shaft. The switch is of the normally closed micro-switch type and has a plunger 6| capable of considerable over travel after movement of only one or two thousandths of an inch to open the switch contacts;

The switch plunger is contacted by a gage lever 62 which is mounted on the rock shaft 33 and held in frictionally gripping but yet rotatable relation with the rock shaft by a friction plunger 63 being forced against the rock shaft by the spring 64 which seats against the cap 65 threaded into the lever 62.

In order to reciprocate the drill spindle to its extreme elevation where it abuts the face of an insole, the rock shaft must be turned through a determined arc, and as the rock shaft is being rotated, an extension 66 on the gage lever 62 contacts the frame of the stop switch 60 prior to the drill reaching its uppermost position, and the complete lever 62 then slips on the rock shaft 33 until the rock shaft has turned through the arc necessary to lift the spindle to its limit and at the same time an adjusting screw 67 depresses the plunger of the stop switch sufficiently to cause the contacts to open. However, this does not cause the spindles to stop, because the starting switch still makes contact until the drill spindle is returned to its normal position.

Upon returning the drill spindle to its normal position, the rock shaft must travel through the same are as was required to raise the spindle, and the rock shaft then carries with it due to its frictional engagement the complete gage lever 52 so that it is spaced from the stop switch plunger.

During the drilling operation, a screw is dropped into the receiving socket above the screw driver, and the handle 50 is moved to select the screw driver, all as outlined in the Macdonald application, and then the handle is manipulated to reciprocate the screw driver into working relation with the shoe and heel, the clamp holding same having moved automatically with the movement of the handle to select the screw driver spindle and the screw is driven into the shoe and heel until the rock shaft again turns through an arc equal to the extent of the drilling operation, whereupon the adjusting screw 61 in the gage lever 62 again abuts the plunger of the stop switch, thus deenergizing the motor and preventing further rotation of the screw driving spindle.

The screw driving operation now being complete, the operator depresses the foot pedal to lift the clamp in order to free the work, and in so doing, a reset lever 79 which is pivoted at TI to the side frame is turned in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5. This is accompllshed by a link 12 being pivoted to the reset lever at 13 and to one of the lifting bars at 14. An extension 15 of the lever 10 carries a roll 16 which abuts a cam face 11 on the lever 62 and causes a counter-clockwise rotation of the gage lever 62, thus bringing the adjusting screw nearer to the stop switch, and it is then again ready for the next drilling operation and ready to gage the movement of the rock shaft, regardless of the are through which it is rotated.

In order to provide for adjustment to select the depth that a screw is driven into a shoe and heel, the screw driver spindle may be made slightly longer than the drill spindle so that in the normal or lower positions the head of the screw will be about higher than the shoulder 53 of the drill spindle. The adjusting screw 61 may then be turned so that it contacts the switch plunger and depresses same the desired amount some time before the extension 66 of the gage lever contacts the housing of the switch as the drilling operation takes place.

It can readily be seen that when the lever is again brought into contact with the stop switch as the screw driving operation is being performed, the current will be shut off before the lever has travelled through the full arc as determined by the drilling operation.

In this manner sufficient adjustment can be obtained to select the depth that the fastener is driven.

One suitable form of circuit for controlling the spindle driving motor is shown in Fig. 6. Current is led from a suitable source such as a single phase line having leads Ll, L2, to a cutout switch 80, thence to the line terminals of a magnetic contactor 8!. The motor 32 is wired to motor terminals which are adapted for connection to the line terminals when the magnetic switch coil is energized.

A lead 82 connects L! to one terminal of the motor starting switch 52, and the other terminal is connected to the switch coil 83, the other end of the coil 83 being connected at all times to L2, and movement of the drill spindle from its normal position allows switch 52 to close, thus energizing the coil and causing the magnetic switch armature to connect the motor leads to the line.

During advanced reciprocation of the drill spindle when the gage lever opens the stop switch 60, the motor continues to run because the switch 52 keeps the coil energized; however, when the drill spindle is lowered and switch 52 is opened, the stop switch 60 keeps the coil energized by means of the lead 84 providing Ll through the switch to the coil, and when the screw driver spindle is reciprocated, the gage lever opens the switch 60, thus breaking the circuit to the coil and the magnetic switch armature drops, breaking the circuit to the motor.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a heel attaching machine for operating on lasted shoes of varying heights, the combination comprising, a frame having work supporting means mounted thereon, a drill spindle and a fastener driving spindle mounted on said frame for movement towards and away from said work supporting means, means for gaging movement of said drill spindle towards work held by said supporting means, and means to correspondingly gage and limit movement of said fastener driving spindle when operating upon said work.

2. In a heel attaching machine for operating on lasted shoes of varying heights, the combination comprising, a frame having work supporting means mounted thereon, a drill spindle and a fastener driving spindle mounted on said frame for movement towards and away from said supporting means, means on said drill spindle for limiting movement thereof when operating upon work held by said supporting means, means for gaging movement of said drill spindle to its limit, and means to correspondingly gage and limit movement of said fastener driving spindle when operating upon said Work.

3. In a heel attaching machine, the combination comprising, a frame having work clamping means mounted thereon, a drill spindle and a fastener driving spindle mounted on said frame for movement towards and away from said clamping means, means on said drill spindle for limiting movement thereof when operating upon work held by said clamping means, and means operable to gage the extent of movement of said drill spindle towards said work and to limit the extent that a fastener can be driven by said fastener spindle into said work.

4. In a heel attaching machine, the combination comprising, a frame having work clamping means mounted thereon, a drill spindle and a fastener driving spindle mounted on said frame for movement towards and away from said clamping means, means for limiting movement of said drill spindle when operating upon work held by said clamping means, and gaging means operable to determine movement of said drill spindle to its limit and to select and limit the depth that a fastener can be driven into said work by said fastener driving spindle.

5. In a heel attaching machine, the combination comprising, a frame, drilling and fastener driving members mounted on said frame, means for rotating said members, means for reciprocating said members, and means dependent on the reciprocation of one of said members for determining the extent that the other member may be reciprocated while it is rotating.

6. In a heel attaching machine, the combination comprising, a frame, drilling and fastener driving members mounted on said frame, means for rotating said members, means for selectively reciprocating said members, and means dependent on the reciprocation of one of said members to effect rotation of both members.

7. In a drilling and screw inserting machine, the combination comprising, a pair of spindles mounted for sliding movement towards and away from a work support, means for rotating said spindles, means .for gaging the movement of one spindle towards the work support, and'means for preventing rotation of the other spindle when it is moved a like distance towards the work support.

8. In a drilling and screw inserting machine, the combination comprising, a drilling spindle and a screw driving spindle mounted for sliding movement towards and away from a Work support, means for rotating said spindles, means for gaging movement of the drill spindle towards said work support, and means operated by said gaging means for limiting movement of the screw driving spindle towards the work support when it is driving a screw.

9. In a machine for attaching heels to shoes on lasts having fastener receiving bores therein, the combination comprising, a frame having last supporting and heel clamping means mounted thereon, a drilling station and a fastener inserting station, means for moving said support and clamping means from station to station, means for drilling a hole to definite depth through a shoe and into a heel held by said support and clamping means, and means for driving a fastener into the drilled hole to a definite depth.

10. In a machine for attaching heels to shoes on lasts having fastener receiving bores therein, the combination comprising, a frame having last supporting and heel clamping means mounted thereon, a drilling station and a fastener inserting station, means for moving said support and clamping means from station to station, means for drilling a hole to a definite depth into said shoe and heel held by said support and clamping means, and means for driving a fastener into the drilled hole to a selected depth.

11. In a, machine for attaching heels to shoes, the combination comprising, a frame having shoe and heel clamping means mounted thereon, means for drilling a hole to a definite depth into a shoe and heel held by said clamping means, and means automatically regulated by said drilling means for driving a fastener into said shoe and heel to a definite depth.

12. In a machine for attaching heels to shoes, the combination comprising, a frame having shoe and heel clamping means mounted thereon, means for drilling a hole to a definite depth into a shoe and heel held by said clamping means, and means automatically regulated by said drilling means for driving a fastener into said shoe and heel to a preselected depth.

13. In a drilling and screw inserting machine, the combination comprising, a frame having a Work support thereon, a pair of spindles mounted on said frame for movement towards and away from said work support, means dependent upon movement of one spindle to effect rotation of both spindles, and means dependent on movement of the other spindle towards the work support to stop rotation of both spindles.

14. In a heel attaching machine, the combination comprising, a frame having shoe and heel clamping means mounted thereon, drill and driver spindles mounted on said frame for movement towards and away from said clamping means, a single common driving means for rotating said spindles, means dependent on movement of one of said spindles to make said driving means operative, and means dependent on movement of the other of said spindles to make said driving means inoperative.

15. In a heel attaching machine having independent heel drilling and fastener driving spindles, a fastener driving depth control comprising, a gage, means for locating a surface of the work during the drilling operation and for setting said gage with respect thereto and means for controlling the fastener driving operation according to the setting of said gage.

16. In a heel attaching machine having a shoe and heel clamping device and independent heel drilling and screw driving spindles, a screw driving depth control comprising, a gage, means for locating a surface of the work during the heel drilling operation and for setting said gage with respect thereto, and means for utilizing the gage setting obtained to control the depth of the screw driving operation.

17. In a heel attaching machine having a shoe and heel clamping evice and independent drilling and screw driving spindles, a screw driving depth control comprising, means operable during the drilling operation to set said gage according to the location of the insole at the heel end of a shoe held by said clamping device and means to limit the screw driving depth according to the gaged location.

18. In a heel attaching machine for operating on shoes located on lasts of varying and unknown heights, the combination comprising, a frame having means to clamp a heel to a shoe and last in an inverted position, rotatable drill and screw driver spindles reciprocably mounted on said frame, means for selectively reciprocating said spindles into working relation with a shoe and heel held by said clamping means, and means for determining the unknown height of the shoe last and for determining the extent that a fastener should be driven into a shoe and heel mounted on said last.

19. In a heel attaching machine, the combination comprising, a frame having work supporting and clamping ,means mounted thereon, a drilling spindle and a screw driving spindle reciprocably mounted on said frame, normally inoperative means for rotating said spindles, means for selectively reciprocating said spindles into operative relation with work held by said supporting and clamping means, means operated by reciprocation of said drill spindle for effecting and continuing rotation of said spindles, means operated by said reciprocating means for gaging the extent of the drill spindle reciprocation, and means operated by said gaging means to stop rotation of said spindles when the screw driver spindle is reciprocated an equal distance.

20. In a heel attaching machine having a work support and independent drilling and screw driving spindles reciprocable into working relation with work held on said support. the combination comprising, normally in operative driving means for rotating said spindles, a common means for selectively reciprocating said spindles, means dependent on the reciprocation of said dr llin spindle for making and holding said driv n means operative, a gage device associated w th said reciprocating means for contacting a stop during reciprocation of said drilling spindle and arranged to remain against said stop until said drilling spindle has been reciprocated the desired amount and to leave said stop during the return stroke of said spindle to measure the extent that the spindle has been reciprocated, means in the path of said gage device for releasing said holding means when the screw driving spindle is reciprocated a distance substantially equal to the amount gaged by reciprocation of the drilling spindle, and means for returning the gage device towards its stop after completion of the screw driving operation.

21. In a heel attaching machine, the combination comprising, a frame having work clamping means mounted thereon, a drilling spindle and a screw driving spindle reciprocable in said frame for movement towards said work clamping means, a rock shaft having connections engageable with and arranged to reciprocate said spindles, means for rotating said spindles, means for making said rotating means operative, means for measuring reciprocation of said drill spindle and for making said rotating means inoperative when the screw driving spindle is reciprocated a definite distance.

22. In a heel attaching machine having work clamping means and individual drilling and screw driving spindles, the combination comprising, a rock shaft having connections engageable to reciprocate said spindles, means for effecting rotation of said spindles, a lever on said rock shaft and frictionally held to rotate therewith and arranged to contact a stop during reciprocation of said drill spindle and to slip on said rock shaft during further reciprocation of said drill spindle and to return with said rock shaft during the return stroke of said drill spindle to define the arc through which the rock shaft travels.

23. In a machine for attaching heels to shoes mounted on lasts of varying heights, the combination comprising, means for supporting a shoe and last, drilling and screw driving spindles re ciprocable into working relation with a shoe held on said supporting means, means for reciprocating said spindles, means for gaging reciprocation of one spindle towards the work and for limiting reciprocation of the other spindle when operating upon the work, and means for returning said gage means to its original setting.

24. In a machine for attaching heels to shoes mounted on lasts of varying heights, the combination comprising, work supporting means mounted on a frame, independent drill and screw driving spindles mounted in said frame, means to reciprocate said spindles into relation with work held on said support, a gage associated with said reciprocating means and arranged to gage the movement of said drill spindle towards the work and to limit movement of the screw driving spindle as it is brought int relation with said work, and means to reset the gage to its original position.

25. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination comprising, a work support mounted on a frame, drilling and screw driving spindles reciprocable on said frame towards and away from said work support, selective means for reciprocating said spindles and for eifecting rotation thereof, and means connected with said reciprocating means for gaging the eXtent of movement of one spindle and for limiting reciprocation of the other spindle while it is rotating.

26. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination comprising, a work support mounted on a frame, a pair of spindles reciprocable on said frame towards and. away from said work support, a gage for determining the distance that one of said spindles is moved towards said work support and means operated by said gage for limiting movement of the other spindle to an equal distance.

KENNETH W. MACDONALD. JOHN FREDERICK SMITH. 

